Half to ralph rees



(No Model.)

F. B. MBLVILLE.

BUSTLE.

Patented Nov. l, 1887 3251" Tlis @/bbozmkf UNTTnn STATES PATENT FFlClE@FRANK B. MELVILLE, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MNNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TORALPH BEES, OF SAME PLACE.

usuarias..

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,633, datedNovember l, 1887.

(No model.)

fo (LZZ whom, 2'15 may concern:

Beit known that I, Fermi; B. MnLvrLLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bustles,of which the following'is a specification.

My invention relates t0 bustles having pend` ent coil-springs in thepockets of a fabric; and it is the object of the invention to provide abustle that will be comfortable for the wearer,while serving to hold thegarments in a shapely form; and the improvements consist in thecombinations and arrangements of parts, hereinafter fully described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

rlhe improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a front view of a bustle embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a side view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line:um of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detached view of one ofthespring-fasteners and one of the springs.

In the drawings, A designates a fabric, of cotton or other suitablematerial, provided with pockets for receiving the coil-springs.

a e are the pockets, formed at proper intervals by folding the fabric atintervals and sewing together the doubled portions on parallel lines toproduce substantially parallel tubular pockets. The upper ends of thepockets, as also the fabric between them, are gathered and secured to aband, B.

c c are coil-springs, slightly convoluted at their upper ends to fit thecontracted upper ends of the pockets and give a rounding shape to thetop of the bustle. The springs are inserted in the pockets a from below,and t snugly in them when in place. The upper ends of the wires bf thesprings are bent over to forni eyes c', and small snap-hooks d aresecured in the pockets to the band B, and the springs are suspended byhooking their eyes into the snap-hooks. The springs can readily bewithdrawn when desired by disconnecting them from the hooks by pressingupon the snap-hooks from the outside.

The gathering of the upper end of the fabric and the expansion of itspockets by the springs cause the bustle to assume a curved form; and toprevent the end pockets from turning inward too far, and also to preventdistortion by any unequal pressure of the springs, and thus to preservea symmetrical contour ofthe bustle, there is provided a band, b, securedto the end pockets and extending around over the intermediate pockets.Along the adjacent surfaces of the end pockets are secured strips c, ofsuitable fabric, provided with eyes e', and in the eyes is inserted alacing-cord, j', which, while affording a means for regulating thedistance between the end coils to adjust the bustle to the person of thewearer', and a means for regulating the eXpansive effect ofthe bustleupon the draperies it supports, serves also to prevent the inner coilsfrom pressing directly against the person.

Triangular-shaped side pieces, D, having eyes t' along the inner andupper edges, are adj ustably connected to the pockets a and band B bymeans of eyes z" in strips h, secured to the pockets, eyes 'il in theband, and laces l, inserted in the eyes. On thc'outside of the pieces Dare pockets m in diagonal position, and in the pockets are wire coilsit, preferably of double helical form, having their widest eX- pansc atthe middle. These side pieces, with their coils, serve to hold out theside drapery ofthe wearer and prevent any depressed appearance of thegarments at the sides.

1. A bustle composed of a fabric having parallel pockets formed on oneside thereof, the said pockets having their upper ends gathered and thefabric having its upper end gathered, a waistband secured to the upperend of the fabric and pockets, coilspringsin said pockets adapted todistend them laterally, the distance between the centers of thedistended pockets being greater than the distance between theattaching-points of the said pockets to the fabric, whereby the bustleis caused to assume a laterally-curved shape,

lacing-eyes and a lace for adjustably connect- J ing the sides of thebristle, and side pieces connected to the sides of the bustle and to thewaistband., substantially as set forth.

A bristle composed of a fabric having parallel pockets formed on oneside thereof, and having their upper ends contracted and the fabrichaving its upper end gathered, a

waistband secured to the upper end of the curedtotheupperendofthefabricandpockets, fabric and pockets, coil-springs nsaid pockcoil-springs in the pockets adapted to distend ets adapted todistend them laterally, the them1ateral1y,thedistancebetween thecenters20 distance between the centers of the distended of the distendedpockets being greater than 5 pockets being greater than the distancebethe distance between the attachingpoints of tween the attaching-pointsof the said pockthe said pockets to the fabric, whereby the ets to thefabric, whereby the bustle is made bustle is made to curve laterally,lacing-eyes to curve laterally, a band exterior to the and a lace forconnecting the sides ofthe bus- 25 pockets and having its ends securedto the tle, a band exterior tothe pockets for preventro sides of thebustle to prevent unequal dising distortion ofthe pockets, and sidepieces tention ofthe pockets, and a lace for adjustconnected to thesides of the bustle and waistably connecting the sides of the bustle,subband, substantially asset forth.

stantially as set forth.l

3. In combination, in abustle, a fabric hav- FRANK B' MELVILLE" 1 5 in gpockets formed on one side thereof, and hav- Vitnesses:

ing their upper ends contracted and the fabric JOHN H. REED,

havingits upper end gathered, a waistband se- P. H. G'UNCKEL; v

